Ocampo waves to crowd before taking on ASU in Trojan Arena. Brady Fitch photo Troy volleyball’s season is now in full swing, but before the season started, the Trojans welcomed several new faces. One new face is transfer student Sophie Ocampo. The middle hitter spent the last four seasons of her career with UT Arlington, however, Ocampo felt it was time for a fresh start. Former Trojan Lacey Jeffcoat was one of Ocampo's coaches with the Mavs and guided her to Troy. "I hopp

Lane Watson prepares to serve during a game of volleyball at an IMPACT event. Brady Fitch photo Lane Watson, a third-year member of the Troy track and field team, spent his summer running. Instead of running on a track or course, though, he spent it running on stage during IMPACT sessions. “Lots and lots of caffeine,” Watson said, with a laugh, about staying energized for the sessions. “Don’t tell my coach that-- but lots of caffeine.” IMPACT is Troy’s version of freshmen

The Troy Trojans volleyball team took a trip to Gainesville to play in the Florida Invite against the Florida Atlantic Owls and the No. 10 Florida Gators. The Trojans struggled on the weekend, dropping both matches to the Florida teams in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. The Trojans won one set on Saturday and played close throughout against FAU, but Florida swept them on Sunday. The loss to FAU was Troy’s second match of the season to go more than three sets. FAU narrowly

Saager coaches during the 2021 season. Troy Athletics photo Former Troy assistant soccer coach Kayla Saager unexpectedly passed away last Wednesday at the age of 30. Saager was married to Tulsa’s outside linebackers coach John Beckley and was pregnant with the couple’s first child, a daughter, who they named Sawyer. Tulsa’s head coach Tre Lamb announced the team will honor Saager at its matchup against East Texas A&M. “We’re going to honor her with a helmet sticker this

Irene Torres kicks the ball into the net at the Troy Soccer Complex as the Trojans take on Alcorn State. Brady Fitch photo The Trojans tied Alcorn State University 3-3 in the last game of their three-match homestead at the Trojan Soccer Complex on Sunday. Troy dedicated this match to the passing of former assistant coach Kayla Saager. Assistant coach Saager coached from 2020 to 2023 for the Trojans. “That was a tricky match for sure,” said head coach Jake Wyman. “I thought

Jaheim Merriweather runs down the field toward the end zone to score a touchdown during last week's game. Brady Fitch photo Troy defeated the Alabama State Hornets, 34-17, in Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon. This marks Troy’s first 2-0 start since the 2013 season. In the win, the Trojans put up over 400 yards of offense and held Alabama State to just 105 yards passing and 116 yards rushing. Despite the win, head coach Gerad Parker was frustrated with his tea

Current Miss Troy University Anna Grace Tucker speaks to candidates. Reba Mull photo The Miss Troy University organization held an interest meeting for students looking for their opportunity for the crown last Thursday. Young students filed in for the meeting looking forward to learn more about their chance to be Miss Troy University. Being Miss Troy University offers more than just a $7,500 scholarship – it also gives the opportunity to represent Troy University and the ch

Inside Smith's office, his badges and credentials from over the years hang on display. Nate Henderson photo The City of Troy is saying farewell to its beloved parks and recreations director after more than 30 years of service. For three and a half decades, Dan Smith served the Troy community by building and leading the city’s Parks and Rec division. Now in his 36th year behind the director’s placard, he’s hanging up his hat. “In my mind, I know I could do this for a lot lo

A new truck has been spotted driving around campus, leaving some to wonder, what is an emergency manager? Trey Ingram serves as Troy University's Emergency Manager, a position introduced in 2025 when TUPD decided the university would benefit from the addition of the role. Ingram has become a common sight around campus, though his impact goes far beyond tire tracks. "You'll see me riding around in my truck, responding to calls as they happen,” Ingram said. “I’m not much of a

Troy University students are invited to practice their business-building skills in a stress-free environment with the Small Business and Development Center’s (SBDC) new three-day intensive named Weekend Ventures. “We are seeing a growing number of entrepreneurial-minded students and community members who are interested in entrepreneurship, but entrepreneurship takes much more than simply having a good idea,” said Juliana Bolivar, SBDC director and lead business advisor. Ac

Troy University Sorrell College of Business (SCOB) is gearing up to officially launch the Sorrell Corporate Partnership Program. The program aims to connect organizations to SCOB students, faculty and programs through a tiered membership process tailored to emphasize visibility and support. Stan Blankenship, program coordinator and SCOB professor of practice, shared his goal with the program. “We want the business leaders in our geographic area to expand their presence on

Audience members listen on as a speaker takes the podium to talk about Kirk's impact. Quang Le photo One year after the murder of their leader, Charlie Kirk, the Troy chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) held a memorial in the Trojan Center ballrooms to celebrate the legacy he left for them. The event was less of a somber memorial and more of a positive look at the impact Kirk had on the organization. As a group that built themselves off their Christian faith, Troy’s TPUSA

Sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha (left) and Delta Sigma Theta (right) perform during the Step Tease. Emma Wasden photos Troy University’s Janice Hawkins Park amphitheater was filled with energy last Wednesday as students and members of the Troy community gathered for this year’s annual Step Tease. Held in collaboration between the University Activities Council (UAC) and the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), the event featured performances from the Divine Nine organizations,

September 11, 2001 remains more than a date in history for the people who lived through it. At Troy University, faculty members and students gathered for a 9/11 panel to share memories, firsthand experiences and reflections on the attacks that changed the nation. The panel gave students an opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of what happened that day — from the Pentagon to the military and even from a college campus.  Rather than learning about Sept. 11 solely through te

Firefighters and students lap the stairs in the Vet to honor 9/11 lives lost. Sydnee Pennington photo Forty flights of stairs and thousands of steps brought students together with one purpose: to remember those who watched the skyline fall and honor those who lost their lives beneath it. Every year, Troy University holds a stair climb inside Veterans Memorial Stadium in honor and remembrance of those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks. For many participating student

Kathryn, deep in the theatre kid trenches. Contributed photo Cringe culture. Making fun of others for liking something that has been deemed by popular demand as “cringey.” Targeting individuals for expressing themselves in an unconventional manner or style. Causing people to fear authenticity. One of the cheapest attempts at humor. I’m so over it. Growing up a weird kid, theatre kid and art kid in middle and high school made me highly susceptible to falling victim to crin

Pictured: Members of Mojave 3 After they were dropped by Creation Records in 1995, the members of Slowdive decided to go in different musical directions. Three of those members, however, decided to keep recording music together. They changed their sound from the ambient-ish brand of shoegaze that Slowdive was known for, to a dreamy, country-tinged sound, ultimately foregoing all shoegaze. These members, Neil Halstead, Rachel Goswell and Ian McCutcheon, formed the band Mojav

In December of 2018, Hades entered early access. About two years later, in September of 2020, it was fully released. Greek Mythology re-imaginings and re-tellings are a dime a dozen. Despite that, Hades sets itself apart. The aforementioned fourth title from Supergiant Games earns its place as one of the favorite games I’ve ever played. Please note, there may be very minor spoilers throughout this article. Read at your own discretion. Graphics: 5/5 Hades boasts highly styl

Maddie's Margins I made a promise to myself when I was 13 that I would never read “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer. Three years later, I was bored. Stuck in a reading slump, I stared blankly at my high school English teacher’s bookshelf, and my eyes fixed on a black cover, six ghastly pale teens staring back at me, and I thought, “How bad could it be?” Ha. Ha ha ha. HAHAHAHAHA. The two weeks in which I devoured this series were simultaneously the best and worst two weeks of m

Spoiler Alert: With Jimmy Nichols After the death of Dolly Parton, I was distraught. Growing up, I looked up to Dolly. She wrote and sang hundreds of songs like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” donated millions of dollars to charities and founded her Imagination Library, which gives children a book a month from birth to age 5. However, the Queen of Country was also a star on the silver screen. One of her most notable roles, and a favorite movie of mine, was “9 to 5.

Troy University’s POPulus band will take the stage at Singing River Live in Florence, Alabama, on Oct. 15. The performance will begin at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m. The event will bring Troy students and other attendees together for an evening of live music and community. “I believe what this event means to the band is bringing people together and enjoying not only music, but enjoying each other’s time together,” said Tyler Johnson, a graduate student studying musi

Horne enjoys a meal tradition with his friends before kickoff. -------Members of SOTS dance to a drumline cadence. Austin Horne photos For the past three seasons, when the Sound of the South (SOTS) took the field at halftime, I was somewhere inside the formation with a saxophone in my hands. This season, I watched from the sideline. As a field tech, I watched the band prepare for halftime, but for the first time, I wasn’t preparing to march onto the field with them. Inste

Trojan Threads offers a variety of Troy gear with something for everyone to wear on game day. Avery Lewis photos As football season gets underway at Troy University, Trojan Threads is stocking its shelves with new gear for students and fans looking to show their Trojan pride. Since opening in 2023, owner David Smith said the store has grown by giving customers another affordable option for Troy merchandise. “It’s come a long way since we opened in 2023, having another opti

"To Bring You My Love" Album Cover t’s not uncommon for a single track to get taken out of context of the album it’s plucked from. The track that receives this sort of attention is usually exceptional to the rest of the album and because it stands out is the reason it’s taken out of context. What sets “Down By the Water” by PJ Harvey apart from these songs is that it’s an apt representation of the album it hails from. It features the same buzzing distorted guitar drone in